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Take the Ear Infection Quiz

Infections of the middle ear are also called otitis media. They are a common problem during childhood. Seventy-five percent of children have at least 1 middle ear infection by the time they turn 3. How much do you know about this illness? Take this quiz. It’s based on information from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

1. An ear infection usually begins with a cold.

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Otitis media often begins when infections that cause sore throats, colds, or other respiratory or breathing problems spread to the middle ear.

A. TrueB. False

2. Otitis media usually affects just babies and young children.

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But this illness can also affect adults. Children are more likely to get a middle ear infection because their immune system is still developing. A child's eustachian tubes are shorter and straighter than in an adult.

A. TrueB. False

3. The ear's eustachian tube is the main culprit in otitis media.

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The eustachian tube is usually closed. But it opens regularly to allow air into the middle ear. This tube also equalizes air pressure in the middle ear. A eustachian tube that is blocked by swelling of its lining or plugged with mucus from a cold or for some other reason can't open. The lack of fresh air may allow fluid from the tissue that lines the middle ear to collect. If the eustachian tube stays plugged, the fluid can't drain and begins to collect in the normally air-filled middle ear.

A. TrueB. False

4. The adenoids also play a role in otitis media.

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The adenoids in children are larger than they are in adults. Adenoids are made up mostly of cells (lymphocytes) that help fight infections. They are at the back of the nose, near the eustachian tubes. Enlarged adenoids can keep the eustachian tube from opening. In addition, adenoids may themselves become infected. This infection may spread into the eustachian tubes.

A. TrueB. False

5. Children often have trouble hearing when they develop an ear infection. This hearing loss usually is only temporary, however.

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Hearing loss is temporary, but only if the infection is treated. Untreated otitis media may lead to permanent hearing problems. Fluid that stays in the middle ear and ear infections that come back again and again can reduce a child's hearing. This age is critical for speech and language development. Children who have early hearing problems from frequent ear infections are likely to have speech and language disabilities.

A. TrueB. False

6. Difficulty sleeping and loss of balance are 2 symptoms of otitis media.

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Other symptoms include unusual irritability, tugging or pulling at 1 or both ears, fever, and fluid draining from the ear. The child may not respond to quiet sounds.

A. TrueB. False

7. Children who live in homes where there is cigarette smoke are more likely to get otitis media.

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Also, children who attend day care are more likely to develop the illness. And babies who are given a bottle while they lie down are also at risk.

A. TrueB. False

8. Once the infection clear up, fluid may stay in the middle ear for several months.

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Middle-ear fluid that is not infected often disappears after 3 to 6 weeks. If the fluid stays for more than 3 months and is causing a loss of hearing, many health care providers suggest that ear "tubes" be put in the affected ears. The tube ventilates the middle ear and helps keep the air pressure in the middle ear equal to the air pressure outside the ear. The tube normally stays in the eardrum for 6 to 12 months. After that, the tube usually falls out on its own.